Fresh Start Family Show

What if the story you were told about sin… isn’t the whole story?

In this deeply freeing conversation, Wendy sits down with author and faith leader Meredith Miller to explore one of the most tender, loaded questions many parents carry…

Are kids born bad?

Together, they unpack how traditional teachings around original sin and total depravity have shaped generations of parenting… and how we can choose a different path rooted in truth, compassion, and connection.

This episode is an invitation to breathe again. To release fear. To trust what your heart has always known about your child… and yourself.

If you’ve ever wrestled with faith, parenting, shame, or the desire to raise kids who feel safe in their goodness… this conversation will meet you right where you are.

➡️ Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/317⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ for more info and links.

🌵 Raising a strong-willed cactus kid and need a little help? Grab my FREE 'Cactus Kids Survival Guide' today! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/cactus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📕 Pre-order your copy of Fresh Start Your Family: Powerful Parenting to Restore Peace in Your Home and claim your FREE Bonuses! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/preorder⁠

💰 ⁠Save your seat ⁠for Kate Northrup's FREE 3 Day Workshop - Good with Money - starting April 9th!
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In this powerful conversation, Wendy sits down with Allison Rose to talk about what it really looks like to break generational cycles, heal from fear-based parenting, and create a more connected home.

Allison shares how Fresh Start Family helped her move out of reactivity, pressure, and survival mode, especially while navigating chronic illness, financial stress, and parenting three young kids. Together, Wendy and Allison explore how nervous system healing, compassionate discipline, and learning to trust your inner voice can transform not just your parenting, but your whole life.

They also talk about faith deconstruction, healing from high-control religious environments, and why choosing connection over control changes everything.

If you’ve ever known the old way isn’t working, but needed hope that a new way is possible, this episode will meet you right where you are.

➡️ Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/316⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ for more info and links.

💰 Save your seat for Kate Northrup's FREE 3 Day Workshop - Good with Money - starting April 9th!

🌵 Raising a strong-willed cactus kid and need a little help? Grab my FREE 'Cactus Kids Survival Guide' today! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/cactus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📕 Pre-order your copy of Fresh Start Your Family: Powerful Parenting to Restore Peace in Your Home and claim your FREE Bonuses! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/preorder⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this heartfelt solo episode, Wendy shares what she’s been releasing in this Easter season, especially the lifelong pull of people-pleasing, shame, and trying to make everyone happy. She opens up about the deeper growth work that’s come with writing her new book, Fresh Start Your Family, and why this season has invited her to care more about what God thinks, what her own heart knows, and less about outside approval.

Wendy also reflects on what’s giving her hope in a heavy and heartbreaking time. From powerful insights she received at a recent leadership retreat, to the work of humanitarian Lynn Twist, Sarah Bessey, Sharon McMahon, and Dr. Shefali, this episode explores what it means to stay awake, use your voice, and keep choosing integrity, courage, and compassionate leadership, especially when the world feels dark.

This is a deeply personal conversation about rebirth, healing, faith, democratic parenting, and why the way we raise children truly does shape the future of humanity.

➡️ Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/315⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠ for more info and links.

🌵 Raising a strong-willed cactus kid and need a little help? Grab my FREE 'Cactus Kids Survival Guide' today! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/cactus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📕 Pre-order your copy of Fresh Start Your Family: Powerful Parenting to Restore Peace in Your Home and claim your FREE Bonuses! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/preorder⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if one of the most powerful things we can give our kids is freedom from pressure?

In this episode, Wendy sits down with veteran educator and homeschool mentor Julie Ross to talk about how to opt out of pressure-filled schooling, whether your kids are in homeschool, public school, private school, or somewhere in between. Together, they explore how fear, performance, and constant pressure can steal the joy from learning, and what it looks like to create an educational life that feels more peaceful, connected, and developmentally aligned.

Julie shares wisdom from more than 30 years in education, including her experience as a public school teacher, private school founder, homeschool hybrid leader, curriculum creator, and homeschool mom of five. Wendy also shares her own story of choosing a lower-pressure path inside the public school system and how that shift changed the trajectory of her daughter’s school experience.

Inside this conversation, you’ll hear:

Why slowness and unstructured play are essential for healthy development

How parental pressure quietly shapes the emotional climate of learning

Why resistance doesn’t always mean something is wrong

How to replace control with connection, creativity, and partnership

What it looks like to trust your child’s pace without becoming permissive

How to think more wisely about screens, technology, and real learning

If school has become a source of stress in your home, this episode will encourage you to step back, breathe deeper, and remember that education doesn’t have to come at the expense of your child’s joy, mental health, or connection with you.

➡️ Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/314⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more info and links.

🌵 Raising a strong-willed cactus kid and need a little help? Grab my FREE 'Cactus Kids Survival Guide' today! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/cactus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

📕 Pre-order your copy of Fresh Start Your Family: Powerful Parenting to Restore Peace in Your Home and claim your FREE Bonuses! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/preorder⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if one of the most important things we teach our kids is how to handle hurt...without hurting back?

In this episode, Wendy and Terry unpack revenge misbehavior, one of the four mistaken goals of behavior taught inside Fresh Start Family and featured in Chapter 12 of Fresh Start Your Family. They explore what revenge behavior looks like in everyday family life, hitting, biting, attitude, eye rolls, harsh words, and why it so often comes from a child’s deep sense of hurt, unfairness, or disrespect.

But this conversation goes deeper than parenting.

Wendy and Terry also draw a powerful parallel between the revenge cycles we see in homes and the same power-over, hurt-back patterns playing out in culture, leadership, and politics. When families are taught that force, fear, punishment, and humiliation are the way to control behavior, those same dynamics don’t stay in the home, they ripple outward into the world.

Inside this episode, you’ll hear:


What revenge misbehavior really is and how to spot it


Why punishment keeps hurt cycles alive instead of ending them


The role of humility in breaking revenge patterns


How strong-willed kids often react to disrespect and hypocrisy


Why the way we handle conflict at home shapes the future of our communities and world

If you’ve ever wondered how to stop the hitting, attitude, or emotional jabs without becoming harsh or permissive, this episode will help you understand the root cause, respond with strength and compassion, and raise kids who know how to handle hurt in a different way.

➡️ Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/313⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more info and links.

🌵 Raising a strong-willed cactus kid and need a little help? Grab my FREE 'Cactus Kids Survival Guide' today! ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/cactus⁠⁠⁠⁠

📕 Pre-order your copy of Fresh Start Your Family: Powerful Parenting to Restore Peace in Your Home and claim your FREE Bonuses! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/preorder⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices